He's going to be an influential insider in the U.S. House and will continue to be consulted. And really, he will continue to inspire some awe and not a little fear ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢Â‚Â¬Ã¢Â€Â at least until this thing plays out a little further and Republican members can make their judgments about whether DeLay will come back.

The Republican governor and the Republican majority in the Legislature are unable to close that out. The fact they have failed to deal with public education, either education reforms or funding, has come home to roost.